Breathing exercise · 4 · 1 · 4 · 1
Tight box breathing for bedtime, when you have just finished work
Simple counts — 4 · 1 · 4 · 1 — and a circle that keeps time.
Follow the circle. It counts for you.
How it works
In for 4, hold 1, out for 4, hold 1. The shape stays the same every round. The gap right after work is the easiest one to use. Let the physical world hold your attention.
Why it can help
The square gives you a way to notice when you have drifted: you lose count, and that tells you where your attention went.
The pattern, in seconds
| Phase | Length | Starts at |
|---|---|---|
| Inhale | 4s | 0s |
| Hold | 1s | 4s |
| Exhale | 4s | 5s |
| Hold again | 1s | 9s |
One round is 10 seconds. At the default 5 rounds this practice runs 50 seconds — about a minute — plus a breath or two of ordinary breathing between rounds.
Good for
- when your hands are cold and your chest is tight
- as a way to mark the end of the working day
- in the minutes before an appointment you are dreading
Tips
- Count in your head, or let the circle on this page count for you.
- Try it once with a hand on your ribs so you can feel whether they are moving.
- If holding for the full count feels tight, drop every number by one. The shape matters more than the size.
Please note
If holding your breath makes you dizzy or uncomfortable, skip the holds entirely and breathe slowly and evenly instead. Never push through lightheadedness. If you are pregnant, or manage a heart, blood pressure or lung condition, check with a doctor before doing breath holds.
If this rhythm does not suit you, try Coherent 6-6 breath (6 · 6) for a reset, when you are somewhere noisy, 5-7 breathing — 5 · 7 — for being unwell, when you are on your own or Soft 4-7-8 breath (4 · 4 · 8) for a hard conversation, when you are on your own.